Category Archives: Series

Post navigation

I know Christmas is still eons away, but it’s not every day one gets the chance to visit the Peterson branch of Santa’s Workshop and see what the Sallynoggin elves are up to, much less take photographs and bring back a report. So turn down the air-conditioning (if you’re here in the hottest part of the U.S.), don your Aran sweater, put on your favorite Christmas music, and take a look.

XL02

I didn’t think we’d see another Elf Army, but I am happily proved wrong. This year’s lineup, as you know from earlier blogs, features the full “12 Pipes of Christmas”—for 2017, shapes 01, 03, 05, 69, 87, 106, 408, 999, X220, XL02, XL11, and XL90. Eleven are from the Classic Range shape chart, but the twelfth, the XL11, is the “Original” Sherlock Holmes shape designed by Paddy Larrigan back in the 1980s. That’s two straights and ten bents, as usual in a variety of chamber dimensions to suit almost anyone’s tobacco preferences.

XL11 (Larrigan’s Original Sherlock Holmes shape)

Shapes 03, 999, 69

The “Elf Army 2” (ask for it by name!) features a nickel mount with a laser-engraved bow on the top of the ferrule and the classic K&P over PETERSON nickel stamp on the bottom.

The laser-stamping of the bowl gives full documentation, as you can see, of the line, the year, and the shape number. Bravo. The stain is a deep brown over red contrast, producing a suitably seasonal ember-glow effect. The blast on the ones I examined is also quite nice, as Peterson continues to improve in that department.

69

Sometimes the blast will be quite striking, and on the whole, it’s even craggier than some of the current spigot lines, which suits me just fine. I don’t mind saying again just how soothing a good sandblast can feel, rolled between thumb and fingers after a long day.

As you can see from the detail photos, the acrylic rod isn’t white, but a lovely striation of creams, mostly straight but varying just a bit from stem to stem. It will be difficult to see these photographed against white, like most e-tailers do, so I thought I’d set it them against black to give you a little better look.

I’ve been trying to learn how best to smoke a Peterson fishtail army-mount, because it doesn’t behave for me like a System, a P-Lip, a spigot, or a fishtail “Navy-mount.” When I try to use my usual smoking style (long drafts), I find it smokes too hot and is less flavorful than other Peterson mounting styles. Recently, however, I’ve learned that short draws seem to make all the difference, bringing back the flavor and dissipating the heat. If you smoke an acrylic-stem army-mount, please chime in and let everyone know how it works best for you.

01

408

03

05

I can’t remember when the 2016 Christmas pipes arrived here in the States, but I think it may have been as early as August. Until then, a thought from forgotten essayist Hamilton Wright Mabie: “Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.”

With this installment, we’re just past the mid-point in the visual dictionary of Peterson’s B shapes. If this is your first look at the Bs, you may want to take a look back at Parts 1 – 3, because these twenty-five years—which span the early 1990s through 2013—mark an important and probably ended chapter in Peterson’s shape history. This is just a hunch, of course, but I suspect the era of Peterson special collections and extravagant Limited Edition pipes has come to a close, at least for now. What follows includes pipes from the Castle Collection (2009), the Antique Collection (2009), the Writer’s Collection (2010), and a sprinkling of Limited Edition / POY shapes.

B35

The “Kaffir” B35, one of my favorite shapes, is part of the 2009 Antique Collection. If you haven’t read about this Peterson shape before, you can catch up at https://petersonpipenotes.wordpress.com/2014/09/21/the-peterson-kaffir-horn-and-bent-albert-zulu/ . It has appeared in a number of lines after the Antique Collection, including (but probably not limited to) the 2013 St. Patrick’s Day, 2013 Christmas (seen above), 2014 Christmas, Italian Rock of Cashel (with acrylic marmelade stem below), the Italian Army Linseed blast, Derry Rustic, and most recently, a saddle bit Killarney (directly below).

Given all these appearances of the B35, I think I must be the odd man out, and it is quite possible no one else much appreciates this shape. Pete fan Mark Domingues may echo many pipemen in his dislike of this shape, because, as he rightly observes, when you’re smoking it, you can’t see inside the bowl, making it difficult to light or know if you’re scorching the rim.

The B36, a barrel setter, derives from the Malahide, part of the quartet forming the 2009 Castle Collection. Its best presentation is certainly in the current Derry Rustic line seen below, although it previously has appeared in the Donegal Rocky and James Fox Hunter Rustic lines.

This pipe is the other part of the 2009 Antique Collection, a quiet, slender billiard found in the 1906 catalog. It has appeared in the number of lines since then, including the Italian Blackrock (sterling mount) seen directly below, Christmas 2014, Donegal Rocky, Killarney, Derry Rustic, and, to great effect, last year’s Roundstone Spigot pictured after the Blackrock below.

The B38, named the Glinn in its original appearance in the 2009 Castle Collection. This is one of two truly amazing shapes to come out of the Castles quartet, rarely seen but in my opinion an absolute gem as it appeared in the set. A few appeared in the Derry Rustic line, Donegal Rocky and James Fox Hunter Rustic lines, all on the European market.

The B39, an amazing panel of near-chimney proportions, appeared as the Lismore Castle in the 2009 Castle Collection. I have one in my rotation and despite appearances, it doesn’t sit. My father had a rusticated one that did, so the balance of the design is rather precarious.

The B40, named the Birr in the Castle Collection, is close to the B34 from the Rivers Collection, but not the same. Both shapes may, perhaps, be described as bent brandies. The B40 has appeared in the prestigious sterling-mount Kapp Royal line (seen above), as well as the 2011 (below) and 2012 St. Patrick’s Day line. A Flame Grain also appeared (further below), but Flames, while stamped as as a line, are rather rare, especially when decked out line the one pictured below.

This was the beautiful Limited Edition / POTY 2009. The only subsequent appearance I have been able to trace was in the James Fox 9mm Hunter line pictured below. As I remarked in the visual history of Peterson’s Limited Edition / POYs, the full beauty of this shape isn’t revealed unless you see it from the top and can appreciate its pinched shank.

When the B42 appeared in 2009, it was the first new System pipe to appear since the late 1970s and the only one with a B shape number. Per Tony Whelan at the factory, it was issued simultaneously as the Darwin commemorative and the B42. While it has appeared in every conceivable System configuration, the only other appearances I have traced are in the Italian-market sterling-mount Blackrock (seen below) and Rock of Cashel lines.

The B43 was the 2010 Limited Edition / POTY (above). It appeared in two Italian-market lines, the Blackrock (directly below) and the Rock of Cashel (second below), both sterling-mount, acrylic fishtails. It also appeared in the James Fox exclusive Hunter Rustic (9mm). I wonder if it, too, has a pinched shank, which is why I include the photo of its original appearance, which seems to suggest one. If you have one of these pipes, drop me a line and let me know.

The B45, deriving from the Writers Collection Joyce, is a personal favorite of mine, although its character is changed somewhat in its B appearances. It certainly strays far afield from the Peterson house style. I wonder what James Joyce would have made of it? Someone at Smokingpipes called it (with a hint of derision) an “egg-billiard hybrid,” which entirely misses the elegant femininity of this lithesome shape. It seems more Danish than anything else to me, not that I get out very much. I’ve only traced it in the Italian sterling army-mount Blackrock (seen below) and the James Fox Hunter Rustic (seen above).

The B46 is the Writers Collection Yeats. It’s a lovely setter, and appeared in the Italian Blackrock (below) and Italian Kapreis lines (at top of article) with acrylic stems and sterling army mount. It also appeared in the European-only Dublin Castle 9mm line (above) with sterling band.

The last entry from the Writers Collection was the Wilde, the B47. As an enthusiast of the Dublin shape, I must say I’m quite taken with this one’s flared bowl. It’s appeared in the Italian market a a Kapp-Royal high-grade army-mount (above) and a Rock of Cashel (below) – Fisherman, and in Europe as a Donegal Rocky.

Every once in a while Conor Palmer, Commercial Director at Peterson, lands back in Sallynoggin long enough that we manage to exchange an email or two before he’s back on the road, and not long ago he offered to send me some of the SPD 2017 samples to review for the blog, so here they are!

I’m smoking my SPD 2016 L Tankard as I write this, in part to highlight the contrast between the 2016 and the 2017 pipes.* Last year’s SPD all about traditional styling and finish. If you chose your pipe carefully, you got a really nice piece of briar at an outstanding price. The downside, according to Conor report from his distributors anyway, was that they didn’t shout St. Patrick’s Day. They weren’t green. They’ve got a point, I think, and Peterson has responded with the finest green SPD pipe they’ve ever produced — and that’s saying something in the history of this collectible!

However, it also leads me ask: is “the green thing” also a generational thing? I’m asking, because I don’t honestly know. Are Millennials more interested in non-traditional stain colors (that is, not shades of brown, red or orange)? I know Tom Palmer has said more than once that System pipes and high-grade Petes (with their brown and orange stains) are something mostly Baby Boomers and stodgy Gen X’s like myself are still smoking, but I’m not convinced that’s entirely accurate. High-grade Petes, after all, are still only moderately priced when compared to most artisan pipes.

Anyway, Huzzah! for the wearing of the green on the 2017 SPDs — what better place could there be? My photographs do fair justice to their high-gloss (lacquered?) eye candy. I say “fair,” because when the pipes aren’t under the photographer’s light, they’re darker to the eye, not green-black, not as dark as the 2016 Christmas Army maroon matte pipes, but dark green. Grain on the 2017 SPDs is visible under daylight conditions, if not under most artificial indoor lighting. And I say “eye candy” because the laser-engraved nickel bands with their Celtic knot design and shamrock, pop nicely. I would prefer a stamped band, but I realize this not only a matter of taste from my end, but probably one of economics from Peterson’s end. Stamped bands seem to appear only on sterling mounts, but even they are sometimes laser-engraved (the Writer’s Collection comes to mind).

After all the acrylic-stemmed 2016 army-mounts, it’s great to see a “Navy” (flush) vulcanite mount as well – “Navy” being Peterson’s old term for the flush mount stem. The mouthpieces seem to be the same rod quality and cut as last year’s, so no degradation there. The P is hot-foil stamped, which means you need to be a little picky about the pipe you choose, as sometimes the silver foil stamping isn’t as clean as it might be. This is annoying, because I know other pipe manufacturers have been able to figure out a way to stamp their logo (or implant it) so that it won’t flake off the first time the stem needs deoxidizing.

I am pleased with the great job Peterson has done on the laser-engraving as well. They’ve included the line, the year and the shape number. Collectors want all this information, and some of it has been lacking in earlier laser-engraved releases.

From the dozen shapes chosen this year all are standard issue aside from the one collector’s piece: the incredible B56, taken from the 2011 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Sylvius. This is what I’d call a short-stack billiard, although it’s probably a bit shorter than most pipemen’s definition. The shape itself is a meatier, or perhaps more voluptuous, older sibling of the 2016 Limited Edition. You can see the original Sylvius below, as well as the B56.

And finally, here’s the PDF flyer — pass it on and spread the word. March 17 is just around the corner . . . almost!

*And A Note on the Large Tankard / D19

This shape has been given a number! It had only been known as the LT or Large Tankard since its introduction in the 2010 Mark Twain set, but it appears that shortly before the 2016 Limited Edition appeared it was given the D19 number. It has appeared in three lines that I know of so far—all in Italy: the Killarney, the Aran and the Wicklow. Check out that P-Lip on the Wicklow below!

Here we are in the middle of the B shapes, the great contribution of the recent “Dublin” or Tom Palmer era of Peterson’s shape catalog. I’ll begin with the disclaimer that what follows is undoubtedly not the whole story, nor even the last word, on any of these shapes. But it is a beginning, and I hope helpful to fellow companioners of these marvelous pipes. The reader can see the originals for all the Limited Edition shapes in another entry found on this site, as well as blogs on the B23 in its original presentation. Corrections, emendations and advice always welcome!

B22 / Antique Collection 1904 – 1908

The B22 is the first of two shapes derived from the 1904 – 1908 Antique Collection released in 2005. A diamond-shanked half-bent billiard, it appeared to great effect in the Italian Rock of Cashel line with contrast-stain blast (bottom), sterling mount, marmalade acrylic stem and hot-foil stamped P. It was also released in the Dublin Castle series (top) with 9mm filter, sterling band and vulcanite fishtail stem, hot-foiled stamped P, and just this year in the entry-grade black sandblast through James Fox, with a vulcanite stem and hot-foil P.

The B23 is the second shape in the 1904 – 1908 Antique Collection from 2005. As I’ve already devoted blog space to this marvelous shape, I’ll only add that it’s a shame it didn’t make it into the Classics Range: it’s got a pedigree and in its B23 releases says “Peterson” loud and clear. The Italian-only Rock of Cashel is a lovely work (above), with sterling band and acrylic stem, hot foil P. The Kapet release (below) is a real handful, released in very small numbers, and featuring a vulcanite stem and nickel band.1904 Antique Collection Measurements:Length: 6.16 in. / 156.46 mm.
Bowl Height: 1.95 in. / 49.53 mm.
Chamber Diameter: 0.79 in. / 20.07 mm.
Chamber Depth: 1.56 in. / 39.62 mm.
Outside Diameter: 1.63 in. / 41.40 mm.
Weight: 1.80 oz. / 51.03 g.

B24 / LE 2005

The B24 debuted as the exquisite XL prince, the Limited Edition 2005, one of the high-water marks in the Peterson Pipe of the Year history with its intricately stamped spigot and band scrollwork. I gave one to my nephew awhile back and hope that someday he’ll smoke it and say, “Wow! I can’t believe what a cool pipe this is.” Anyway, as a B shape it appeared in the Kapet line seen below with a nickel band and saddle vulcanite stem, P hot foil stamped. The last of the bowls appeared in the entry-grade Shamrock (above), also with a vulcanite tapered mouthpiece and the old-fashioned gold-stamp P.Kapet Measurements:Length: 6.25 in. / 158.75 mm.
Bowl Height: 1.58 in. / 40.13 mm.
Chamber Diameter: 0.79 in. / 20.07 mm.
Chamber Depth: 1.27 in. / 32.26 mm.
Weight: 1.80 oz. / 51.03 g.
Outside Diameter: 1.85 in./46.99 mm.

B25 / 140th Anniversary

The B25 is without doubt the rarest of the Bs. I couldn’t figure it out from the sole example I’ve seen. It looks a bit like the 2004 Limited Edition, but that’s the B21. It also looks a bit like The Professor from the original Sherlock Holmes series, but that already has an XL shape number. So I went to the authority, Tony Whelan, Jr., Peterson’s factory manager, who told me it’s . . . the Charles Peterson 140th Anniversary Edition.

The 140th pipe was originally conceived as a Limited Edition run of 1000 pieces, but at the time (2005), Peterson couldn’t source a sufficient number of these XXL bowls, the run ending up at around 300 pipes.* The bowl on the 140th, incidentally (if not the bore and ferrule) is good reproduction of the X.O1 House Pipe seen in the 1896 and 1906 catalogs, and one of Charles Peterson’s favorite shapes. It appeared in the Italian Kapreis line as a sandblast, black acrylic f/t stem, hot-foil P stamp, sterling army mount.

The B27 is another incredible Limited Edition shape, this time the octagonal panel billiard from 2007, when it was given a faux spigot treatment (like the original Rosslare Royal Irish line). Like nearly all the LEs, it’s a big piece. It appeared in the B catalog first in the Italian sterling army-mount Rock of Cashel, then just recently in the nickel army-mount Derry Rustic. I must say that I like the Derry Rustic treatment (seen above) even better than the Rock of Cashel, despite its lack of sterling. In any event, if you’re attracted to the shape, don’t wait too long add it to your rotation before its gone. Derry Rustic is nickel mount, acrylic stem with hot foil P stamp. The Rock you already know.Derry Rustic Measurements:Length: 6.25 in. / 158.69 mm.
Bowl Height: 2.07 in. / 52.68 mm.
Chamber Diameter: 0.82 in. / 20.72 mm.
Chamber Depth: 1.63 in. / 41.38 mm.
Weight: 1.80 oz. / 50.39 g.
Outside Diameter: 1.44 in. / 36.47 mm.

B28 / LE 2008

The B28 is the only bowl shape in the B chart that has three numbers: the B21, B28 and B28 and B49. In the last B shapes blog, I mentioned the B21 derives from the 2004 LE and the B49 from the Gregson in the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes series. What I overlooked was that the B28 –the same bowl – was the number given the 2008 LE. I won’t enthuse anymore about this shape – it’s one of my all-time favorites in the Peterson catalog, especially stellar for Va and Va/Per lovers. If you don’t companion one, I’m sorry and hope you’ll add one to your rotation soon. As the B28, it appeared in both the entry-grade Kapet line and the St. Patrick’s Day 2012.

The B29 derives from the Liffey shape in Peterson’s most extensive boxed collection, the sextet of pipes in the Rivers Collection, released in 2007. There is an amazing unity of design conception when you look at the collection as a whole, while individually they show some of Peterson’s most creative recent work. The set begins on a quiet note, however, with what at first seems like a rather ordinary billiard, but which the billiard aficionado will recognize as more Danish than Irish or English with its pronounced cheeks. The Kapet line, of course, is machine rusticated, two-tone stain with nickel band and hot foil P stamped on a vulcanite mouthpiece.

The Suir, a sterling army mount from the River Collection, was issued as the B30 and is on my Holy Grail list of newer Peterson shapes. It’s about as dynamic a bent Dublin as you’re likely to see, artisan or factory-made. It was gorgeous in the Rivers Collection, and it holds up well in its life as the B30 in the 2010 St. Patrick’s Day commemorative. I haven’t spotted it in other collections, but I wouldn’t be surprised made more than one appearance. In its 2010 SPD dress, it’s got the same meat-and-potatoes nickel band and matt brown stain as the US Aran line and sported way above average briar for the price.

The Boyne became the B31, a straight, round-shanked Rhodesian, with more of an apple shape than the traditional bulldog / Rhodesian cant. It’s also a bigger-bowled pipe than the photo makes it appear. In the St. Patrick’s Day 2010 guise, it’s dressed out with nickel band, warm brown stain and a vulcanite mouthpiece with hot foil stamped P. It also appeared on the European market in the Donegal Rocky line seen below.

The B32 / Lee is, in my opinion, the standout shape of the Rivers Collection, with the Corrib close behind. It transforms the Rhodesian into a dynamic, organic aesthetic perfectly reflecting its Irish origins. It appeared first in the St. Patrick’s Day 2010 seen below, a remarkable collection, with Aran-style finishings: warm matt-brown stain, nickel band, saddle stem. It also appeared in the Kapet line seen above, and finally as an army mount in the Rock of Cashel, as seen at the top of this blog. The domed ferrule of the army mount in the original Lee and the Rock of Cashel makes them the finest expression of this incredible shape.

The B33 is derived from the Corrib in the Rivers Collection, and appeared as Peterson’s first Christmas pipe (with a Christmas tree on the mount) in 2009. It’s Peterson’s only bent-Dublin setter, and it’s a marvel with English and orientals (I speak from experience). It appeared in the Donegal Rocky line seen below with a tapered vulcanite stem, in the Kapet with a tapered stem, and just lately as an army mount in the Derry Rustic line. It’s also part of the European, non-mounted Aran line, as my friend Tom has just this minute shown me in his recent purchase!

The B34 is the last of the sextet of the Rivers Collection shapes, and it’s a honey. I’ve never seen a bent egg that’s so compact and so cries out to be cradled in the palm. When you look at it you can’t help but think it would be a fantastic System pipe. Like some of the other Rivers Collection shapes, it appeared in the 2010 St. Patrick’s Day collection seen above, with Aran-style finishing, and in the Kapet line seen below.

*Santa’s Helper: Right now at Floppypipe.it there are several rare and exciting Peterson pipes, all new/old stock, including a Charles Peterson 140th Anniversary, the 1903 Antique Reproduction Dublin (cased), several of the River Collection pipes, one of the new Spigot Naturals with a 1930s Peterson amber stem (no kidding), a handful of Rock of Cashels, several Kapreis models (including a B42 / Darwin), and several of the fine long-gone Army Linseed Blast pipes. Don’t be alarmed by the prices—when you get to check-out, the VAT is deducted, bringing in line with US prices—and some even cheaper, considering they’re no longer being made. They even take PayPal.